Living Opera

Joshua Jampol

Gives a vivid sense of the lively personalities, human qualities, and backgrounds of the world's favorite opera stars

Offers a behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of operatic work, from costuming to acoustics

Perfect gift book for all opera fans

Living Opera

Joshua Jampol

Description

Selected as one of the Best Music Books of 2010 by The Independent, here is a wonderful collection of 20 wide-ranging interviews with the preeminent opera singers, conductors, and directors working on and behind the stage today. Joshua Jampol invites opera-lovers to listen in as performers speak in frank terms about their strengths and weaknesses, conductors discuss the state of contemporary opera, and directors talk through the complexities involved in staging a successful production. Jampol has unprecedented access and the table of contents reads like a "who's who" of the global opera world, featuring Fleming, Domingo, Ramey, Villazon, Dessay, Conlon, Salonen, Nagano, Boulez, Carsen, Chéreau, and more. Each interview highlights a distinctive voice speaking about
his or her career path, first break, colleagues, major influences, audiences, critics, and all the diverse professions making up the emotional and extravagant world of the lyric arts. Jampol brings immense knowledge and a wonderful flair to these conversations, allowing his subjects to follow their thoughts wherever they lead, and revealing in the process a more intimate, reflective side of this constellation of operatic stars.

Living Opera

Joshua Jampol

Table of Contents

AcknowledgementsPreface

Pierre Boulez, or "The Incorruptible"Robert Carsen, or building the bridge between head and heartPatrice Chéreau, or truth, opera and the director: in Wagner's footstepsWilliam Christie, or going for baroqueJames Conlon, or surrendering your soulNatalie Dessay, or healing the sick voiceJoyce DiDonato, or the wider connectionPlácido Domingo, or Olympics for the voiceRenée Fleming, or balancing on the high wireFerruccio Furlanetto, or functioning as a filterKasper Bech Holten, or the emotional fitness centerSimon Keenlyside, or a workingman talks about traffic controlWaltraud Meier, or the sweatshirt must fitHeidi Grant Murphy, or sopranoed - with childrenKent Nagano, or
remaining relevant Seiji Ozawa, or the art of managing the orchestraSamuel Ramey, or the lion at twilightEsa-Pekka Salonen, or new opera and festival operaJose Van Dam, or humility, the elite and the caddiesRolando Villazón, or the paradox of the performer

Index

Living Opera

Joshua Jampol

Author Information

Joshua Jampol is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to the "Ear for Opera" series in the International Herald Tribune. He also writes for CNBC Business Magazine and has written for Time and The Guardian (London). He lives in Paris.

Living Opera

Joshua Jampol

Reviews and Awards

Named one of the Best Music Books by The Independent

"Opera lovers will be delighted by the biographical tidbits, personal reminiscences, and candid assessments of the state of opera today... An entertaining and illuminating book; highly recommended." --Library Journal

"Living Opera provides a graphic sense of the brains and dedication needed to sustain a career on the lyric stage." --Opera News